Improvement in wrenches



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HUGH s. WRIGHTS'ON, '0F BALTIMORE,-MARYLAN'D,7ASSIGN0B. To M. M. WELBY AND o. .H. suona, 0F SAME PLAGE.

' Letters Parentlvo. 73,551, dared January' 21, 1868.'

AInraorrzirtnnr 1N WasNcsEs.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, HUGH S. WRIGHTSON, of Baltimore city, in the county of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have inventada new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Wrenches.'

This invention relates to a wrench which is a very cheap and simple construction, and which can be readily and easily adjusted to work of different kinds and this wrench, owing to its simple construction, is not liable to be broken, or get out of order by use, a fault common to the adjustable-jaw wrenches now in common use; and I hereby d eclarethe following to be a full; clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of my invention, the accompanying drawing .being lettered to correspond with and making part of'this specification; and in order that others may go on to manufacture and use my improvement, I will describe its construction ahd application, as follows.. In the aecompanyingdrawing-- Figure 1 represents -a handle, and o ne stationary jaw of a common wrench, with two grooves cut across the entire width of one of its lat sides, just below the stationalryjaw. These grooves are made one within the other, as .shown by letters a andb, the larger groove a having teeth, like ysaw-teeth, the entire length of one of its sides. These grooves and teeth form a seat or socket, for the purpose ofreceiving an adjustable'and movable jaw. l

Figure 2 represents an adjustable and removable wrench-jaw, withv tongue d and shoulder e, with teeth upon the lower edge of shoulder c, so that when this adjustable jaw is placed in the grooves or seats .a and b of fig. 1, the parts t and form a. complete wrench, the. adjustable jaw being secured to its place by means of a simple button or clasp, as seen in fig. 3. It may readily be seen that the tongue d, operatingin the groove or seat b,- performs an important oi-ce to this wrench. Whilst it adds very materially to the strength of the adjustable jaw, italso allows thisjaw to opento a. greater latitude than could be done without its aid, it becominga shoulderor bearing for-sustaining the stra-in, and at the same time holding thc adjustable jaws teeth to their. adjusted place, with the simple aid of the button or clasp E.

Figure Sis the wrench complete, with its adjustable jaw partly extended. The manner of extending or contracting the opening in the jaws of this wrench is di'erent from that of other wrenches, and is accomplished by lifting out' from its seat the adjustable jaw, and replacing it at the required distance from the stationary jaw, where it may'besecured by means ofthe button E. i

Figures 4, 5, and 6, are modifications of my invention.

I am aware that a single groove, partly across the flat side of a wrench, has been used for receiving the adjustable jam-but not the two grooves, one within' the other, as shown in my invention. I am also aware that teeth or ratchets are used for holding the jaw of a wrench to its adjusted place by thc nid of screw or pawl, but the teeth, as used in my wrench, are neither-located nor operated upon as in other nrenchcs. The teeth or ratchets, when arranged and located as in my improvement, make the operation of extending or contracting tlib opening in the 4jaws much more simple and-eliectual than what has heretofore been done, whilst'at the same time they receive the strain of the jaw in such a manner as to add totheir. sustaining power when thewrench is being most severely tried, requiring neither screw nor other device, asis common. to other wrenches l to hold them by force to their work.

What I'elaim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters latent, is-

1. A. wrench, with its adjustable jaw constructed and applied to its handle and stationary jaw, as described, when its ratchets or teeth are' located as and operated in combination with grooveb and tongue d, in the manner and for the purpose sp'ecied. i

, 2. I also vclaim button E, in eombination with groove b and tonguefd, for holding the removable jaw to its seat, as herein described. I

HUGH S. WRIGHTSON.

Witnessest Su/1L. G. SPrcnn,

THOMAS I. WELBY.. 

